"The Canadians, the British, the Australians, the Dutch, the Danes are really out there on the line and fighting, but there are a number of others that are not,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.

The United States, which has the most troops in Afghanistan, recently and reluctantly agreed to deploy an extra 3,200 Marines to the south of Afghanistan, where the most fierce fighting occurs.

Major NATO states, including Germany, France and Italy, have rejected calls from the United States and other allies to deploy troops to the south of the country.

As a result, the United States, Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands have done the most to combat the Taliban insurgency.

This has been a financial and military burden on these nations, one that has put a strain on their relations with NATO states not contributing troops in the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan.

A report released by the International Crisis Group on Feb. 6 calls for greater international unity on the issue. It argues that the lack of a unified international front in Afghanistan is “allowing the insurgency to gain momentum and further emboldening spoilers.”

Before a U.S. Senate Committee, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, "I worry a great deal about the alliance evolving into a two-tiered alliance, in which you have some allies willing to fight and die to protect peoples' security, and others who are not.”

The International Crisis Group urges the United States “to realize that its unilateral actions weaken the will of others,” but also says that states who “consider themselves major NATO players such as Germany, France and Italy need to assume a greater share of the burden, including the combat burden.”

German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported on Feb. 6 that the German government stated it would send troops to northern Afghanistan to replace a Norwegian unit of 250 soldiers. It refuses to send its troops to the south despite U.S. and NATO calls to do so.

Under the headline “NATO’s Afghan Test,” The Financial Times asserts the need for allied troops “to support U.S., U.K., Canadian and Dutch forces bearing the brunt of the fighting in the south.” The Times writes that this is as important as assisting Afghanistan’s political development in order “to accelerate aid and development.”

The Christian Science Monitor argues that is the responsibility not only of the United States to fight terrorism in Afghanistan, but also that of other NATO allies. “But the public in these countries blindly believe they have no dog in this fight and are pressing their governments to get out,” writes the Monitor.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established in 1949 and consists of 26 nations from North America and Europe. Its mission is to “safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries by political and military means.”